Dani Torres (Colombian footballer)
Daniel Alejandro Torres Rojas (born 15 November 1989) is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Independiente Medellín.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Daniel Alejandro Torres Rojas | ||
| Date of birth | 15 November 1989 | ||
| Place of birth | Cáqueza, Colombia | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Defensive midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Independiente Medellín | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Sporting de Cáqueza | |||
| 2005–2008 | Independiente Santa Fe | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2008–2015 | Independiente Santa Fe | 158 | (1) |
| 2011 | → Atlético Nacional (loan) | 12 | (0) |
| 2015–2016 | Independiente Medellín | 39 | (3) |
| 2016–2020 | Alavés | 41 | (0) |
| 2019 | → Albacete (loan) | 16 | (0) |
| 2020 | Zaragoza | 12 | (0) |
| 2021 | Albacete | 17 | (1) |
| 2021–2022 | Castellón | 34 | (1) |
| 2023– | Independiente Medellín | 40 | (1) |
| International career | |||
| 2015–2017 | Colombia | 14 | (0) |
Medal record | |||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15 July 2023 | |||
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Club career
Santa Fe
Born in Cáqueza, Cundinamarca, Torres joined Independiente Santa Fe's youth setup in 2005 at the age of 15. He made his senior debut on 8 June 2008, starting in a 0–3 away loss against América de Cali.[1]
On 8 July 2011, Torres was loaned to fellow league team Atlético Nacional until the end of the year, with a buyout clause.[2] However, he only appeared sparingly for the club, being released in the end of the year mainly due to disciplinary problems (some of them related to alcoholism).[3]
Upon returning to Santa Fe, Torres established himself as a regular starter and helped the side in their 2012 and 2014 successful campaigns. He scored his first professional goal on 9 August of the latter year, netting the second in a 2–1 home win against Independiente Medellín.
Independiente Medellín
On 5 July 2015, Torres and fellow Santa Fe teammate Luis Carlos Arias were transferred to Independiente Medellín.[4] He featured regularly for the side during his spell, scoring two goals in the 2015 season.
Alavés
On 19 July 2016, Torres signed a four-year contract with Deportivo Alavés, newly promoted to La Liga.[5] He made his debut in the category on 21 August, starting in a 1–1 away draw against Atlético Madrid.[6]
Albacete (loan)
On 31 January 2019, after featuring rarely during the first half of the campaign, Torres was loaned to Segunda División side Albacete Balompié, for six months.[7]
Zaragoza
On 31 January 2020, Torres joined Real Zaragoza in the second division until the end of the season, after terminating his contract with Alavés.[8]
Albacete return
On 7 February 2021, free agent Torres returned to Albacete on a contract until the end of the campaign.[9]
International career
On 6 November 2015, Torres was called up by Colombia national team manager José Pékerman for two 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Chile and Argentina. He made his full international debut six days later, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1–1 draw against the former.
Torres was also included in Pékerman's final 23-man list for the Copa América Centenario, featuring regularly as his side finished third.
Personal life
In October 2016, Torres produced a video urging Colombians against supporting the peace deal with FARC.[10] Torres is a devout Christian, who cited his opposition to then president Juan Manuel Santos as that Santos did not put Jesus at the center of his politics.[11]
Career statistics
Club
| Club performance | League | Cup | Continental | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club | Season | League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Colombia | League | Cup[n 1] | South America | Total | ||||||
| Santa Fe | 2008 | Categoría Primera A | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 2009 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | ||
| 2010 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 27 | 0 | ||
| 2011 | 13 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | ||
| 2012 | 21 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 0 | ||
| 2013 | 38 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 0 | ||
| 2014 | 36 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 59 | 1 | ||
| 2015 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 23 | 1 | ||
| Subtotal | 163 | 1 | 27 | 0 | 26 | 1 | 216 | 2 | ||
| Atlético Nacional (loan) | 2011 | Categoría Primera A | 12 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| Independiente Medellín | 2015 | Categoría Primera A | 23 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 37 | 2 |
| 2016 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 1 | ||
| Subtotal | 39 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 54 | 3 | ||
| Spain | League | Cup | Europe | Total | ||||||
| Alavés | 2016–17 | La Liga | 21 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 0 |
| 2017–18 | 18 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 0 | ||
| 2018–19 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| Subtotal | 41 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 52 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 255 | 4 | 49 | 0 | 34 | 1 | 340 | 5 | ||
- Notes
- Includes Copa Colombia and Superliga Colombiana.
Honours
Club
- Santa Fe
References
- "Daniel Torres, pidiendo pista en la Selección" [Daniel Torres, asking for a place in the National Team] (in Spanish). En Directo Sabana. 7 November 2014. Archived from the original on 19 September 2016. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- "El volante Daniel Torres es nuevo jugador de Atlético Nacional" [Defensive midfielder Daniel Torres is the new player of Atlético Nacional] (in Spanish). Caracol Radio. 8 July 2011. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- "Daniel Torres, jugador del Santa Fe, venció el alcoholismo" [Daniel Torres, player of Santa Fe, defeated the alcoholism] (in Spanish). Noticias RCN. 20 January 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- "Daniel Torres y Luis Carlos Arias fueron transferidos al Medellín" [Daniel Torres and Luís Carlos Arias were transferred to Medellín] (in Spanish). Caracol Televisión. 5 July 2015. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- "Daniel Torres, juego, contención y liderazgo en el centro del campo" [Daniel Torres, break-up play and leadership in the centre of the midfield] (in Spanish). Deportivo Alavés. 19 July 2016. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- "Al Atleti le sobra el final" [To Atleti the ending is too much] (in Spanish). Marca. 21 August 2016. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- "Dani Torres jugará cedido en el Albacete" [Dani Torres will play on loan at Albacete] (in Spanish). Deportivo Alavés. 31 January 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
- "El Real Zaragoza incorpora al centrocampista Dani Torres" [Real Zaragoza sign central midfielder Dani Torres] (in Spanish). Real Zaragoza. 31 January 2020. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
- "Dani Torres vuelve a enfundarse la camiseta del Alba" [Dani Torres wears the shirt of Alba again] (in Spanish). Albacete Balompié. 7 February 2021. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
- "Colombian Opposition to Peace Deal Feeds Off Gay Rights Backlash". New York Times. 8 October 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
- "Señor presidente, el centro de esta negociación no es Jesucristo". Semana (in Spanish). September 27, 2016. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
- Daniel Torres at Soccerway. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- Daniel Torres at ESPN FC
External links
- Dani Torres at BDFutbol
- Dani Torres at National-Football-Teams.com